Mud-guard for automobiles and the like



B. KAWASOYE. MUD GUARD FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZT, I919.

Patented Ma 22,1921.

Din Kan/says;

UNITED STATES BIN KAWASOYE, or TOKYO, JAPAN.

nun-GUARD FOR Auromomtns AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Application filed May 27, 1919. Serial No. 300,175.

To all whom it may concern: I I

Be it known that I, BIN KAwAsorn, citizen of the Empire of Japan, residing at No. 19 Daimon-cho, Koishikawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Mud-Guards for Automobiles and the like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains, to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in mud guards for automobiles and the like, and the object of the invention is to provide an improved guard for reventing mud from splashing laterally from the outer sides of motor vehicle wheels.

With the foregoing object outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings Figure l is a front view of the apparatus, a portion of the supporting means being broken away for the purpose of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is an end view.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the main guard plate.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the guard plate support and one of the supporting hooks.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the supporting hooks and the member which it carries for causing the main guard plate to assume an inclined position.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing the manner in which one of the leaf-springs carried by the supporting hooks, yieldingly retains the main guard plate in inclined position.

In the drawing, A designates the mud guard which consists of a metal plate 1 having an arc-shaped upper edge 2 and an angularly-shaped lower edge 3 to wh1ch 1s fixed a flexible strip 4 preferably formed of sheet rubber. The intermediate portion of the upper edge of the main guard 1 is provided with an inwardly extending flange 2' designed to prevent mud from the portion of the wheel engaging the ground surface from throwing the mud upwardly.

The rear-upper portions of the ends of the guard plate are provided with keepers 5 and5' designed to be engaged by pivoted hooks 7 carried by a main support bar 6. The bar 6 forming the main portion of the support 13 is suspended by rods 11 carried by the axles on which the wheels 0 are mounted. The supporting hooks 7 are connected to the ends of the bar 6 by knuckle joints 8 and these knuckle joints prevent the hooks from turning outwardly beyond predetermined points. Retaining hooks 7 are fixed to the bar 6 and are designed to engage the hooks 7 when said hooks 7 are not in engagement with the keepers of the guard plate 1, as shown in dotted lines in Flach supporting hook is provided with an aperture 9 through which a pin 13 is designed to pass for securing the hooks 7 in the keepers 5 and 5. Each hook 7 is pro vided with a leaf-spring 10 which is down wardly and outwardly inclined, and is designed to engage the inner surface of the lower portion of the main guard plate for yield-ingly holding said guard plate in the inclined position shown in Figs. 3 and 7 In attaching the improved mud guard to the vehicle, the upper ends of the rods 11 are first fixed to the steering knuckle or axle housing, and the bar 6 and hooks 7 are then in position to be attached to the guard plate 1'. After the books 7 are swung into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, their free ends occupy the keepers 5 and 5 and the pins 13 are then inserted in the apertures 9 to secure the guard plate in position.

With the present construction the guard plate has a limited swinging movement on the free ends of the hook 7 and in consequence the lower end of the guard plate may swing outwardly and upwardly as shown by the arrow 14 when the wheel is traveling through soft earth. On the other hand if the soft earth is at the outer side of the wheel, the guard plate may swing downwardly and inwardly as shown by the arrow 15, and when the vehicle reaches solid ground the springs 10 will return the guard plate to its normal position.

I In View of the foregoing I believe that the advantages of my construction will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and I am aware that various changes may be made in the construction shown without departing from the spirit of the invention as'disclosed by the following claim.

I claim- The combination with a Vehicle wheel and its axle support, of a supporting bar carried by the axle support, and arranged on the inner side of said wheel, hook-shaped members pivotally connected to the ends of said bar and passing over the periphery of the wheel, a-guard plate providedat its ends with keepers designed to engage the free 7 ends of said hook-shaped members, means for preventing said hook-shaped members from detaching from said keepers, leaf springs fixed to sald hook-shaped members and engaging sald plate for normally holdmg the same m an lnclined position, and a flexible skirt carried by said plate.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 20 in presence of two witnesses.

BIN KAVVASOYE.

Witnesses K. KAWAHARA, S. HASHIMURA. 

